Sakura Blossoms For Sasuke
by Raventhedarkgoddess
Summary: SakuSas oneshot The spring flowers can have adverse effects on even the hardest of hearts... Even causing a smile. Can a tiny spring bloom bring a smile to a bitter soul?


**Sakura Blossoms for Sasuke**

"I'm an idiot."

The first words Sasuke had spoken in over three hours seemed to echo around in the space between the branch he was nestled on and the almost-leafless branches above him. It punctured the suspended silence which had been his thoughtless harmony, and drove him back into a world he was not familiar with as a now-passing wind ruffled his black hair: That world was the separate realm of thought.

_All I ever do, _he found himself thinking, _is hurt people. That's why I came up here in the first place, to get away from Naruto and Sakura. Because I hurt them both. I beat him up, I scream at her... Every single time. It almost never goes away. No matter what kind of intentions I have, which usually aren't good to begin with, they come out rotten. Cruel._

_Always._

"Why do I bother? It's obvious that they're not getting me anywhere in life anywa..."

_They aren't getting me anywhere close to my goal. All I ever want is power, power, and more power. It's like a drug, one I'm an adict to... And the more I experience, the worse it gets. I never care if I step on them. Because I always know I'll get what I want._

_But... If I keep hurting them to get what I want, and I'm not learning anything from it, isn't that almost worse than not having the power, but having people to help me?_

_Or am I really that uncaring? Is the facade I used to convince myself this power quest is fine...? Is this the facade I purposly put up, or is it more than a facade now? Is it part of... Part of me?_

"Oh, what difference does it make? This isn't affecting me, after all," Saskue muttered. Still, it didn't stop the flow of memories.

_Naruto. That little bug... That foul little insect... He's the reason I'm questioning myself, even now. He's the one who asked me all those questions about power, and whether or not they were right... Yet, I have this strange feeling toward him, almost a painful regard for him, a realization of his true character... A character that's willing, a character that's happy..._

_But still, why... What stems that regard in me, anyway?_

_Is it the fact that he's always smiling? Laughing? Saying stupid things? Grinning?_

_Or is it his determination? His freedom to let his emotions show... That's it. Every single time, no matter what the consequences, he faces it. Proudly, like he's not scared of what's around him... Or even what's in him. Like all he wants is smiles and laughs... Like he wants everyone to be happy. He never really consideres himself, lives in the moment..._

_And he always knows what to say. He might always have something stupid to say, but at least he can say it. It comes out the way he intended, even if it was stupid from the start. He's not cruel to people... People understand... No, screw that. People don't just understand him, people like him. Even if he makes them angry a lot... They really end up liking him for who he is._

_They're just attracted to me. All those girls... All they see is brooding Saskue. Sexy Saskue. If they want to really talk... They go over to Naruto if they really want to talk. It's like... I'm stuck in a shadow, his shadow. Just a pretty boy... That's me._

_And even Sakura... She's nice to me. She'd like to see what's inside, but... She's not like the others, just based on physical attraction, and I still can't stand her. I mean, it's not a painful admiration, but it's... I don't know. Her cheerful attitude drives me crazy._

_And all I can make myself see is a lack of spirit, a lack of fighting strength. I shouldn't because she's always so... Such a strong person._

_Unlike me. My soul is weak. Almost broken, in places. Deprived of every thoughtbut power, power, and more power, which is all I ever thought I'd need... I see how corrupt I am, but I don't change. _

_That's the biggest sign of my weakness. The biggest sign of all..._

_I just don't care enough. I see, but I don't change. I guess I don't see the point... Don't see the..._

Sasuke jerked himself out of it and stared out over the tree-covered hillside where the group had decided to make camp for the night. He looked for smoke but saw none and realized for the first time, he wasn't even sure where he had run from in his blind attempts to run away from everything. Then sunset blinded him, and so he turned his head away in time to catch another night breeze.

"I can't even see the beauty in the world anymore." His voice was lost, echoing in that hollow cage of branches. "This... isn't right."

"What do I care, anyway?" He reached out and ripped a few of the new leaves off the edges of the trees, and then looked down into his gloved hand. "A...Sakura blossom?"

_Stupid promise legends... About what kind of luck a Sakura can bring..._

He blinked hard, swallowed, and tried to find something to focus on, anything that wasn't the sunset, until he realized he heard footsteps, and then a voice started to call out to him.

"Sasuke? Saskue, where are you?"

"Oh, damn... Sakura..." Sasuke jumped down, thinking he could just avoid her, but he landed in a crouch that was hard to get back up from and so he didn't manage to escape as Sakura rounded the bend and flung herself at him.

"Sasuke, we were all so worried about you! You just have to come back and see us, because we're really sorry for what we did and..."

"Sakura..." He tried to stand, but she held fast to him, keeping him there on the muddy ground. "Get off me."

"I'm sorry, Saskue, but Naruto and I were really worried about you. Really worried. We just... Saskue... You're always so mean!"

_Is she... crying? She is... Those little crystals are real tears. _"Sakura, please... Just listen to me!" His hand swung out and caught her arm, so that the leaves and single blossom were the only thing between her and him.

"You don't like me anyway, Sasuke... You can let go now." She tried to jerk her wrist away, but he held fast to it, shaking his head.

"Sakura... It's not that I don't like you. I do like you, a lot. It's just..."

"Just... Just what, Sasuke?"

"I always thought of you as weak. Until... Just a little while ago. You and Naruto... No matter how angry I am, you always follow. And it's something... I can always look for."

"Sasuke... Do you mean that?"

"Yes." _For once, I can say what I mean and mean what I say. _"Please stop crying," he added after a second, trying to keep his temper in check. "Here, you shouldn't cry..." He reached up and stuck the Sakura blossom behind her ear.

"You look as... nice as your namesake, now." He held out his hand to her. "Come on, why don't we get going?"

"Sasuke?" She said as she gently took his hand.

He grunted as a way of showing her he was listening and incased her hands with his fingers. For once, he didn't feel the need for power, the urge to destroy. _I just feel..._

_Happy? Is this really what happy feels like?_

"Thank you," Sakura said. "Thank you, Sasuke." With her free hand, she touched the sakura blossom, and one of her teardrops fell onto it and shimmered in the dying sun.

"No... Thank you, Sakura."

_For showing me the beauty in the world again. Thank you for being yourself..._

_And for carrying out the Sakura blossom's promises for me._

**(END)  
A/N: Okay, okay, his name is spelled SASUKE, and I'm sorry I spelled it otherwise, so I corrected it! Sorry, first attempt at a Narutoone-shot, please don't eat me... (hides under desk)**


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